I was all ready to stitch last night.
Programs chosen, Quilt Parts at the ready.
Thread? Check!
Needle threader? Check!
Thimble?
Thimble?
Thimble?
Oh, come ON! I left my TJ Lane thimble on the night stand at HOME!!
I am a girl who is just unable to hand sew anything without a thimble on. I’ve been a thimble stitcher for nearly 35 years. I am just completeliy unable to sew without a thimble on the middle finger of my right hand.
You may find it funny that I don’t keep spares around, but I’ve never found a “spare” that compares to the feel and comfort of this one special thimble that I take EVERYWHERE with me. So imagine my dilemma last night when I was so eager to attach the corner triangle to my current eternal hexagon project, and the only ingredient missing was my thimble. ANY thimble.
Remember my Thimble Expose HERE?
Light Bulb Moment!
Exactly!!
Duct Tape to the Rescue!
Didn’t I do Mac Guyver proud? 3 layers is working well so far. I’m just a bit nervous about the end of the needle pushing its way past the tape and into my finger as used to happen with leather thimbles.
This will have to do for this weekend, as we are 25 minutes from town, and I am not going off mountain in search of a cheap thimble that will in no way work as well as my favorite TJ Lane at home.
The solution down the road is simple – I need another TJ Lane that LIVES at the cabin! The next time I’m at a major show, like Houston in the fall for my new book release, that will be on my agenda.
Half way attached!
Take a good look at the center of this medallion. Do you see doggie faces? For the longest time I didn’t – now every time I look at it, I see Sadie! There she is, her two eyes, nose, sweet tongue hanging out. Do you see it? Funny.
Close up of fabrics.
I’ve stitched in so many memories into this one!
The plan for today is simple. I’ve got some desk work to do here – I am writing a blog post to be featured on the C&T blog about my Wonky Wishes release. That’s going to be fun! I’ll let you know when that goes live so you can head over there and read it on their site.
I brought a gigantic Bin-o-grey-strings up here with me and want to work on those this weekend. I need like 45 more blocks to have the number I think I need. I’m just going to stitch and play and be.
The weather is abysmal. The wind howled all night long, I thought the proverbial big bad wolf was huffing and puffing and ready to knock the cabin right off the mountain. Needless to say, I’ve been up since 4am, and since there was no going back to sleep, a shower, and some Facebook time brought me to where I am now, typing this post.
There WILL be a nap!
Quiltville Quote of the Day!
Love this quote! And while doing all of this, don't forget to breathe!
Vintage spider web quilt made of wools & cottons circa 1900 shared by a student while in Mineola, Texas.
Happy Friday, everyone!
I was up about the same time you were but for a different reason. Today my daughter, her best friend and I all pile into our van for a trip to Atlanta, GA for Anachrocon, an annual steampunk convention. I will take my steampunk 1870's style hexie project to go with my steampunk seamstress costume. Started the haxies as a con project to keep me busy between panels. Thanks for the idea1 Mary Ann Harpe
ReplyDeleteI've always seen the doggie face and even asked in a post if I was the only one who saw it. Maybe because we're looking at a photo instead of live it's more obvious. Love it!
ReplyDeleteConnie in Madison, MS
I know just how you feel. I am a thimble girl. But, I must admit, like my magnifiers, I have thimbles everywhere! I love the dog face. You are really coming along on those hexies.
ReplyDeleteI always bind with a band-aid...same kind of solution :)
ReplyDeleteYou can cut a little oval of template plastic and put it under the duck tape to keep the needle from going through. You won't even know it is there.
ReplyDeleteThe perfect solution is the duplicate in the cabin, although I'd put a third one at the bottom of the hexie bag, the one that accompanies you on airplanes. Or, you get a jeweler to attach something to the top of the original thimble, thick would snap onto a chain that wear around your neck or to your Fitbit, to be repurposed as a sort of charm bracelet. But, I've been reading your blog for a year and I really want to know if you've ever thought of creating a pattern set for the various parts/designs on your hexie project.
ReplyDeleteTJ Lane is very good to work with. They may have your info on file, size, etc and would be able to send you a new thimble.
ReplyDeleteThey have a website. I have one of her thimbles and a chatelaine that I love. I visited her daughter in Lincln, NE and she helped me pick out everything and adjusted the size on a thimble I had bought at a show.
I have two TJ thimbles, one for hand quilting and one for applique. They each have their special "holders". One (inexpensive) I bought at a quilt show that is on a chain that goes around my neck. The other (expensive) I purchased from TJ at a quilt show, that attaches to my sewing basket. Where I sew they go all tucked into their respective "holders". Someday I'll splurge and buy one of her chatelaines that will house both of my thimbles. (By the way, very ingenious of you to use duct tape as a substitute.)
ReplyDeleteTerry
Over time my 'thimble spot' has toughen enough I do not need a thimble...but love using one. Get tough Bonnie!
ReplyDeleteI usually forget scissors.. Honey, if that is your worst fault, you are just fine ... :)
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JulieinTN
We can all so empathize with being without the one essential tool needed to continue making progress. Good for you for improvising with a temporary solution! Where there's a will, there's a way! I like tough strip fabric band-aids, too, for temporary thimbles.
ReplyDeleteHaha! Duct tape to the rescue. I love it!
ReplyDeleteYour neutral hexie piece makes me think of the old fashioned mother of pearl buttons that were so sweet, so very long ago.
I never wore a thimble because when I do that finger sticks up in the air and isn't used. But when I'm really hand quilting and endured enough needle pricks I try again and usually end up putting bandaids on the quilting finger so the puffy part gets the needle prick.
ReplyDeleteI've never used a thimble, other than occasionally those little stick on pads, which work well when sewing thick things. My mother could never understand how I can hand sew without a thimble. BTW, I looked up the TJ Lane thimbles and, mercy! They are lovely but at that price they ought to be the absolutely best thimbles in the world! Do they wear well? Mom always had a problem with the cap of the thimble wearing out and getting very thin. She would be quilting along and finally the tip of her thimble was thin enough in one of the dimples that the end of the needle went through, and then - OUCH! She had a basket of worn out thimbles with holes in the cap.
ReplyDeleteBonnie, buy TWO TJ Lane thimbles. One for the cabin and one for your traveling stitching kit. Buying three would just be a waste because the extra one would never be where you need it to be!
ReplyDeleteYou def need another thimble for the cabin. Hope Sadie did better with the wind. Can she sleep in your bed with you? Would that help?
ReplyDeleteOh Bonnie! I do see your Sweet Sadie! How uncanny....and perfect! As usual, your blog made my day between your SewedSweetSadie and that awesome and inspiring quote from William Arthur Ward. I actually printed it out and posted it on my fridge. Now, if I could just do what it says! Well, one can only try, and try I will.
ReplyDeleteGood luck with out "T.J."!
Loretta McGinn
tlkids65ll@aol.com
My favorite thimble is a pea sized circle cut from the lid of a Cool Whip container, taped on with medical tape,,,tee hee,,,works for me,, I'm thimble impaired!!!
ReplyDeleteWhen my Grandmother was teaching me to sew, she stressed that I MUST use a thimble to sew properly. It was hard to get used to it, but I used it for a bit, then gave myself a break. Now I can not sew without it, and feel so close to her each time I sew anything. I have her beautiful thimble. She is specially close to me every day when I sew, and I thank her for the wonderful gifts she shared with me.
ReplyDeleteI love this picture! Who doesn't understand just how the baby feels? It is definately written all over her face! Good job Bonnie on finding the perfect picture for this blob. One picture is worth a thousand words in this case, maybe even more.ñ
ReplyDeleteterima kasih gan atas informasinya dan sukses selalu :)
ReplyDelete